Archive for July, 2013

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TND – N’awlins Revisited

July 22, 2013

tomato plate

BREAKING NEWS!

It is officially corn and tomato season. Let the gorging commence.

I stopped by the Stillman’s stand at the Wednesday farmer’s market on July 3rd and stared in blank astonishment at the pile of corn they had on display. Surprised, I asked how on earth they’d achieved corn in time for the 4th of July. The way that Kate Stillman muttered, ‘you have no idea what it took for us to achieve this’ left me wondering if small animals had been sacrificed on the edges of fields. Turns out it was a somewhat more prosaic method involving seeds from Germany, and hot houses, and constant constant vigilance – the guy at the stand looked exhausted just talking about it. It is possible virgin sacrifice would have been less time consuming all round, although you do then have to do something with the body. Read the rest of this entry ?

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TND – Culture Wars

July 11, 2013

oranges

One of the more enduring culture wars between the US and Europe is over the correct way to hold/use a knife and fork.  I was brought up strict European – fork in left hand, knife in right hand, you use both simultaneously, and only rest them on your plate if you are doing something else with your hands, like taking a sip of water (or wine), or tearing off a piece of bread.

If you learned your table manners in the US you are more likely to pick up your fork in your left hand, your knife in your right hand, cut yourself off a bit of food, lay down your knife, swap your fork to your right hand, spear the bite of food – eat – chew – swallow – move your fork back to your left hand, pick up your knife again in your now free right hand and repeat the process all over again. Read the rest of this entry ?

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TND – Around the World in 80 Breakfasts: the Middle East

July 5, 2013

dried fruit

Let’s be honest, hands down, the world over, breakfast is the best meal of the day.  Breakfast food is just so wonderfully flexible.  It can be savory.  It can be sweet.  It can be a combination of the two.

In many parts of Asia, breakfast is a bowl of a thick savory rice porridge (congee) made with chicken (or pork) stock and served with slivers of meat and vegetables.  As someone who frequently salts & peppers her morning oatmeal, I think that sounds delightful.  In China, dim sum is a perfectly legitimate breakfast option, and you have to appreciate any country where breakfast can be made up of dumplings. Read the rest of this entry ?

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